Examining the Impact of Urban Transformations on Traditional Crafts and Skills: Case of Amritsar’S Historic Core
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ICOA1602: EXAMINING THE IMPACT OF URBAN TRANSFORMATIONS ON TRADITIONAL CRAFTS AND SKILLS: CASE OF AMRITSAR’S HISTORIC CORE Subtheme 01: Integrating Heritage and Sustainable Urban Development by engaging diverse Communities for Heritage Management Session 3: World Heritage, Regulations and Guidelines, Authenticity and Integrity Location: Gulmohar Hall, India Habitat Centre Time: December 14, 2017, 11:45 – 12:00 Author: Niyati Jigyasu Niyati Jigyasu is an architect, currently Professor at Chitkara School of Planning and Architecture, Chitkara University, Punjab. Niyati has been practising and teaching in academic institutions since 1996. Her major area of interest is historic urban areas with special interest in community participation. She has also been active in organizing international workshops and has presented papers on her area of interest in national and international conferences. She is presently pursuing her doctoral study on “Examining the role of ‘Traditional Economy’ in Conservation of Historic Urban Areas”. Abstract: Investing in the intangible heritage reflected in the oral traditions, social practices, rituals, festivals, and skills to produce traditional crafts contribute towards social and economic wellbeing of the communities and improvement in their overall quality of life. In the context of urbanization that is often uncontrolled, the historic areas undergo transformations that include destruction of built heritage as well as loss of social structure and traditional economic organization. While there is focus on the physical fabric, the present urban conservation processes in India place relatively lesser emphasis on retaining the communities who are the main casualty of these changes and whose sustainability often rests on traditional skill based livelihoods. The historic area of Amritsar is an urban ensemble anchored around Sri Harmandir Sahib; the holiest shrine of Sikhs. The layout of the historic core and its built fabric, social organisation of the neighbourhoods, festivals and rituals, and various traditional crafts such as Phulkari, Jutti, metal work such as Thatera, Sikligar, Judau, Pottery, Terracotta, Durrie, Galeecha, Woolen Handloom and Accessories such as Paranda are rooted in the distinctive culture and milieu of the region. Preliminary studies of the area show neglect of the built heritage, changing socio-cultural dynamics and vanishing traditional crafts and livelihoods. At times, only selective crafts having tourism potential get more prominence unlike those that are more intimately connected to various sections of the community. Though one can see some market demand of Phulkari embroidery owing to its popularity among tourists, lesser known craft traditions like utensil making by Thateras, weaponry by Sikligars, Durrie and Galeecha making, Nada making are declining. The paper critically analyses the impact of the physical, social and economic transformation processes in the historic urban area of Amritsar on the community based crafts that have long contributed to their sustainability. Methodology of study would include analysis of empirical data on communities and their crafts at neighbourhood level, collected through semi structured interviews as well as participatory observations. Based on the research findings, various strategies for sustainable regeneration of historic urban areas will be suggested. Key words: sustainability, community, urban transformations ICOA1602: EXAMINING THE IMPACT OF URBAN TRANSFORMATIONS ON TRADITIONAL CRAFTS AND SKILLS: CASE OF AMRITSAR’S HISTORIC CORE Literature Review Crafts As Lewis Mumford states “The city in its complete sense is a geographic plexus, an economic organization, an institutional process, a theatre of social action and an aesthetic symbol of collective unity” (Mumford, 1937:185). The crafts, idiosyncratic in nature are a critical component of this complex system. Traditional crafts, coming under the umbrella of intangible heritage are part of this cultural and creative setup that uses endogenous community knowledge and can add to the economic empowerment. UNESCO in its creative economy report propagates the importance of creativity as an economic driver and traditional crafts being one of the subset (UNESCO, 2013). Considering that a majority of economy of India is based on local business and the vast heritage of artisanal skills prevalent, creative economy does not remain a matter of choice in India. Also, the scale of informality which is an essential characteristic of traditional economy, both in terms of enterprises and employment or occupations is very significant in India (UNESCO 2013). Historical narrative The Indian economy before the 18th century was predominantly agriculture. Agriculture technology boasting of high level of development has been mentioned in the historical narratives. But yet, crafts and trade, concentrated within urban boundaries were also a critical determinant of a city’s existence. While most cities boasted of a number of crafts, some cities had a specialisation in certain crafts, e.g Ahmedabad, Baroda, Lahore, Multan for Textiles, Srinagar, Sarkhej for dyes etc. The bazaar were nerve centres of every city, big or small; with cities like Delhi, Ahmedabad, Lahore having dozens of bazaars each specialising in a different kind of commodity (Vanina,2004). Punjab had always had a very advantageous physical and geographical position in terms of the agricultural and non-agricultural resources and had a direct passage to region of central Asia. By the late 19th Century, Amritsar was an important trade mart connected to Lahore, Karachi, Kashmir in the North- West and Bombay and Calcutta. Strategically located on the Silk Route, Amritsar traded Silks, shawls and copper ware from Kashmir in return for raw silk, gold, carpets and horses from Afghanistan and Central Asia including tea from the north east India. Crafts of Amritsar Amritsar, being one of the most important cities of the Majha region of Punjab is a rich repository of heritage that has both spiritual as well as national values. The historic area is an urban ensemble anchored around Sri Harmandir Sahib; the holiest shrine of Sikhs boasting of more than one lakh tourist per day. The evolution of the town over the ages and its association with some of the greatest historical figures of the region, have given the town a particular ‘sacred and socio political geography’, typified by buildings and sites as well as routes and processional paths. The planning of Amritsar is organic with many lanes and by lanes enclosed within 12 gates1. 1The gates built during various periods exist though the walls have disappeared long back. The history of crafts here has a strong religious connotation. The evolution of the bazaars go back to the period when Guru Ram Das invited people, 52 types of artisans and craftsmen among them, to come and settle around the Amrit Sarovar2. Later on, when Amritsar was divided into Miscl3 and led my individual chieftains, craftsmen and traders were invited from all regions to come and set up business. The markets in the katras belonging to the more powerful misl chiefs, such as the katra Ahluwalian, katra Ramgarhia, and katra Kanhaiyan, developed into booming centres of commerce. In the 18th century when Ranjitsingh consolidated the Sikh Empire, his territory extended from Multan and Peshawar to Kashmir and Kangra. His rule was a period of prosperity for the entire state, and craftsmen and artisans from everywhere were encouraged to bring their practice to the city. Shawl-weavers from Kashmir and artists of the Kangra School of Art were among the most notable migrants. Some, like bazaar Paparan, bazaar Kathian, Kanak Mandi, bazaar Bansan, Namak Mandi, and Misri bazaar, were named for the product they offered. Others, like Majithmandi (a market of dyers), Mandi Ahan Faroshan (for sellers of iron and iron ware) and bazaar Kaserian (a market for utensils, first earthen and then metal) were named for the craftsmen and crafts to be found there. In 1833 A.D., a famine hit Kashmir led to the streets of Amritsar being flooded with refugees. With Maharaja Ranjit Singh opening the food depository to the masses, thousands settled here leading to becoming a production centre for Pashmina shawls. When the demand for Pashmina shawls fell, many of these looms were turned to the production of carpets, an industry that thrives to this day in Amritsar (CRCI, 2010). Thus Amritsar with its historic core and its built fabric, social organisation of the neighbourhoods, festivals and rituals, was home to various traditional crafts such as Phulkari, Jutti, metalwork Sikligar, Judau, Pottery, Durrie, Galeecha, Woolen Handloom, and many food items that are traditional to the place and rooted in the distinctive culture and milieu of the region. Today, most of them, within the historic areas are only as sold products with their production shifted to either on the outskirts or neighbouring villages. The thateras, jewellers, and many of the food products including the popular papadwadiyan are still in production in the by lanes of the walled city. Though the thateras and jewellers’ work is declining, they are still found workings with the equipment from the 1900 are still in use by these craftsmen. Transformations over the years The geographical and spiritual component that was the reason for success of Amritsar also became the cause for political happenings that resulted in much physical transformations especially around the vicinity of the Harmandir Saheb. It goes without